The Perks of Drowning
by VeryRachelBerry
Summary: Bella loves listening to her neighbor, Edward Cullen play guitar each night. One night he catches her and they learn some things about each other. The title makes sense if you read it.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

_**She likes the boy who lives downstairs, she loves the way her combs his hair, and the way he sits out half the night and rocks out under the porch light...so she keeps her window open, and secretly she's hopin' that he'll run away with her. - Velcro; Single File**_

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The soft strumming of a guitar crept it's way into my ears. The gentle melodies swam in and out and I closed my eyes in bliss. This was the moment I waited for every night, the reason I kept my windows open even during the coldest nights.

Edward Cullen.

Edward lived in the apartment next to mine on our college campus and each night he would sit out on the balcony and play his guitar. He never played loud as to disturb the neighbors, but just loud enough so that I could sit beside the window and pretend he was playing for me.

But I was smarter than that.

As I listened to the latest of Edward's original writings, I scribbled in my notebook my own original writings. His guitar playing always inspired me. As I wrote down a long line, I didn't notice when the music stopped.

"Excuse me." A voice of velvet said.

I jumped and fell over. A pair of arms circled around my waist and I looked up to discover that the arms belonged to Edward Cullen himself. Oh. My. God.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

His voice was that of perfection along with the rest of him. His hair was a bronze mess of disarray and his eyes were the brightest of emeralds. He repeated his question again.

"Um, yeah." I said, my cheeks as rosy as Santa's.

"Were you listening to me?" He asked.

Now my face was as red as a tomato.

"I'm sorry, I won't do it again." I said quickly and pulled myself out of his grasp, heading back into my apartment.

A jingling laugh escaped his lips as he pulled me back.

"I don't mind, I just don't understand why."

"Why?"

"Yeah, why bother listening to me?"

Was he kidding me?

"I love it when you play guitar." I admitted in a whisper embarrassingly. "It inspires me."

"It inspires you?"

"Well, _yeah._" I said, sounding like a teenager. "I mean, your guitar playing is amazing. When I listen to your music I can't be sad because when you play, it's so mesmerizing I can't help but smile. And it's like your music speaks to me, making me want to write something half as beautiful as what your playing." I looked up from the ground to find him reading my notebook. "Oh, my God! Dont' read that!" I exclaimed, snatching it out of his hands.

"You're a rather amazing writer yourself." Edward said. "_Drowning in a sea of hopeless love, but why bother treading water when you don't know where to swim?_" He quoted. "That's beautiful."

He smiled a crooked smile and I felt like my whole body melted into the ground.

I blushed yet again and he rested his hand against my cheek.

"Almost as beautiful as you."

I probably burned his hand, my cheeks were so hot.

"Your name is Bella?"

I nodded, surprised he even knew my name. He seemed to read my mind because he said,

"You're surprised I know you name?"

I nodded again.

"I know a lot more about you than you think."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Like what?" I pressed.

He smiled again and my heart raced.

"You're best friend is Alice Brandon. You're also friends with Rosalie Hale. You're a sophomore this year. You've lived in this apartment for about four months. And now I know you're an amazing writer." He finished with another heart breaking crooked smile. "I've been watching you."

He must have realized the shocked expression on my face because he added,

"I mean, not in a creepy stalker, _I've been watching you_ way but just, _H_ey_ I'm curious, I'm watching you._"

I laughed.

"I understand."

He tilted his head to the side, causing his hair to flip into his eyes sexily.

"Would you understand a date tomorrow night?"

Oh. My. God. Was he serious? Did he honestly want to go out with _me_? For a split second I actually expected him to yell, "Psych!"

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I'd really like that."

His grin was the biggest I'd ever seen and I couldn't help but grin back.

"Listen, I know we don't really know each other very well but..." he paused, considering his words. "Bella, I really like you."

I suddenly realized just how close he was. His face was only inches from mine and he seemed to realize it at the same moment.

"I really like you too." I breathed.

He slowly moved closer to me, keeping my gaze as his lips came closer and closer. He paused as his lips were mere centimeters away.

"Is this okay?" He asked, his voice low.

I nodded.

With that, he closed the gap between us.

At the same moment my mind went blank, a million thoughts raced through my head. All I could think of was his lips on mine, my hands in his hair, and his on my hips. I was living in Utopia and I never wanted to leave. Unfortunately, I had to.

He was the first to pull away as we both gasped for breath.

He grinned at me.

"So I'll pick you up at six?" He asked.

I laughed.

"Yeah, sounds good."

"Good. I guess I'll see you then." He said. He swung his leg over the metal fence that separated his balcony from mine and flipped the rest of his body over it. He leaned across it for one last quick kiss before whispering,

"Bye."

"Bye."

He turned around and I watched as he grabbed his guitar and went back inside his apartment.

I sighed before heading back into mine.

I closed my window and picked up my notebook and pen.

_But then again, maybe drowning's not so bad anyway._


End file.
